MKs Pledge Further Hareidi-Religious Zionist Cooperation

Housing Minister Uri Ariel toured a building site in northern Israel Wednesday along with MK Eli Yishai (Shas).

The two focused on ways to strengthen ties between the hareidi-religious and religious-Zionist communities, while also developing the Negev and Galilee.

They visited the Har Yona site, a new neighborhood being built in the city of Natzrat Illit (Upper Nazareth) in the Galilee. Natzrat Illit Mayor Shimon Gapso took part in the tour, as well.

Ariel noted that Yishai, too, had played a major role in initiating the project, which he hopes will help reduce the high price of housing.

“During his term as Minister of the Interior, Yishai did a lot to move construction of the Har Yona neighborhood forward,” Ariel said.

Yishai is now assisting Ariel in ensuring that the housing project will including housing suitable for the hareidi-religious community, according to a statement from Ariel’s office.

After the tour, Ariel said, “Since coming into office I’ve worked hard to solve the housing crisis in the hareidi community, as part of the solution to the housing crisis in the general population. I respect and honor my colleague, MK Eli Yishai, who was among the initiators of the Har Yona project.”

“The ties between us will grow stronger, as will the ties between the hareidi and religious-Zionist communities,” Ariel told Yishai.

Eli Yishai recalled the project’s humble beginnings four years ago. “At the beginning of my term as Minister of the Interior I came here with Gapso and we decided together to go forward with this,” he recalled.